If Bawumia is a ‘serial caller’, then Kwesi Pratt is a ‘kayaye’ (2)

Today, Kwesi Pratt is able to sit on radio and vividly recount the number of people who were summarily executed under Rawlings’ regime and how others who survived the killing machine of Rawlings are now wallowing in abject poverty.Now, during the latter part of NPP administration when Kwesi fell out Kufuor, the former became a bosom friend of Rawlings and was a regular visitor at sumptuous dinning tables at the now burnt-out ridge residence.

Those were the days Kwesi Pratt would go and count the cars in Rawlings’ compound and go and sit on Ghana’s radio Rwanda (radio gold) and proclaim that all the cars Rawlings was being accused of commandeering from the state when exiting power, “are all broken down second hand cars with 99% having deflated tyres and suspended on pieces of blocks”.

What then worries me is the fact that at the time Kwesi Pratt was having all that cozy relationship with Rawlings because he had fallen out with Kufuor, it never occurred to Kwesi Pratt to remind Rawlings of total impecunious state of affairs of these people who Kwesi is now describing as the true architects of may 15th, so something could be done to alleviate their plight.

Bastardization of NRC

I listened to Kwesi Pratt on 19/5/12 edition of ‘alhaji-alhaji’ on radio gold and I kept wondering whether the man actually has a sense of shame at all. I remember when Cpl Adabuga came to Ghana to give evidence before the National Reconciliation Commission,Kwesi Pratt actually described him as a mad person whose pronouncements are nothing but just foolish talk; and this was during the days Kwesi Pratt was in serious alliance with Rawlings and they were fighting to get rid of a common enemy,Kufuor.however,on the said ‘alhaji-alhaji’ programme,Kwesi Pratt was singing the praises of Cpl Adabuga and describing him as one of the brave architects of may 15 uprising who needs to be recognized as a national hero.

The process of national reconciliation commission set up to provide a platform for our compatriots who had been wronged over the years of our political journey, was described a sham by Kwesi Pratt. When Rawlings was invited by the commission, Kwesi Pratt was of the view that there was no need for him to appear since the commission has not credibility and that it was a calculated attempt by Kufuor just to tarnish the name of Rawlings.

And I remember when Rawlings appeared before the commission and failed to provide what had been asked of him prompting the commission to discharge him without further questions, Kwesi Pratt described them as being scared of Rawlings since those commissioners would have been thought a useful lesson if they had dared probed him(Rawlings) further.

Sharing good times with Rawlings

At the time, Kwesi Pratt was the only journalist in Ghana who could gain access to the house of Rawlings to have a long chat with him over sumptuous meals. Those were the days Kwesi would have a 6hour one-on-one interview with Rawlings at his residence and serialize it in his then INSIGHTLY ‘WEEKLY INSIGHT’ newspaper. That was the time Rawlings described Kwesi Pratt as the most honest human-being in Ghana.

Those were the days Kwesi Pratt shouted over the roof-tops that Ghana was importing items as handkerchiefs and tooth-picks and that was a sign of Kufuor’s spectacular failure. Kwesi said our nation’s housing deficit problem could be solved within a twinkle of an eye, by simply exploiting a limitless deposit of natural black cement at otekpolu.Dumping of tons of garbage at landfill sites by metropolitan assemblies was described as a damn foolish move since energy could be generated from that garbage. A woman who died through child-birth at ridge hospital was misrepresented as dying as a result of a power outage during a surgical procedure. This was found to be false and when Kwesi Pratt was asked to appear before the media commission, he took those making the call to the cleaners. At that time, Kwesi Pratt said it was unethical for journalists to criticize the opposition instead of government since it is the government that collects peoples’ taxes and therefore must be scrutinisezd.Media practitioners who were sympathetic to Kufuor administration were described as nation-wreckers with no journalistic professionalism.

Return of the chameleon

In the end, the NDC won and Atta-Mills became the president and the good relations between Rawlings continued till Atta-Mills properly assumed office and started having his finger on the pulse Ghana’s coffers. The chameleon characteristic of Kwesi Pratt came into full force at the height of FONKAR-GAMES. Kwesi Pratt suddenly describing Rawlings as a murderer under whose care over 300 of our nation’s compatriots in thin air.Interestingly, anytime this history of Rawlings came up during Kufuor’s administration, Kwesi Pratt responded with the so-called killings that took place during the 1966 coup. In 2008, the NPP adopted a strategy of concentrating its campaign message on issues and achievements while NDC chose to focus on character associations, vile propaganda and damn-right insults. illusionist but highly juicy promises were made to Ghanaians and as it has always been with human nature when it comes to area of insatiable need, gullible members of our society unfortunately bought into those NDC lies and voted for them. On the other hand, Kwesi Pratt led an onslaught, under the canopy of now dead and buried CJA, and in the end, Atta-Mills became president.

Today, this very same Kwesi Pratt who was at the fore-front in advancing the course of ordinary Ghanaian, is the very same person who supported STX which no intent to exploit this so-called natural black cement at Otekpolu.Ghana currently, and very much unprecedentedly, imports common fire-wood from Cameroon and leaves used by ‘waakye’ sellers in wrapping food from Cote d’Ivoire.Yet,Kwesi Pratt has completely abandon all his zeal to advance the course of down-trodden in our society, and shamelessly doing exactly the same things he vehemently spoke against just 3years ago. Heaps of rubbish that Kufuor failed to convert into electricity and therefore earned him an enviable accolade of failed president, according to Kwesi’s peer review mechanism criteria, have now developed into huge mountains and causing outbreaks of fatalistic cholera which has claimed over 200 lives with thousands infected.

Rare localized power outages that were termed as criminal under Kufuor have now become unprecedentedly gargantuan instantaneous nation-wide block-outs that are claiming countless lives of patients on admission in intensive care units of our nation’s medical facilities. In the face of all these apocalyptic developments under the current Atta-Mills administration, Kwesi Pratt simply doesn’t seem to have anything negative to say.

Insults on Dr Bawumia

I listened to Kwesi Pratt on 13th May 13, 2012 edition of ‘alhaji-alhaji’ on Ghana’s radio Rwanda (radio gold) as he described NPP presidential running mate for upcoming December general elections, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, as having intellectual capacity akin to that of “serial caller”, it brought back the memories of this very same Kwesi’s description of Kufuor as having an intelligent quotient of a 6year old. He also described a vote for Nana Addo in the upcoming December elections as sure way to calamity for Ghana. From what I know, the highest academic credential of Kwesi Pratt is his journalism certificate from GIJ somewhere in the 70’s and his only claim to fame on our Ghanaian political landscape has been nothing but persistent incoherent ramblings. Kwesi Pratt, practically, hasn’t done anything concrete to contribute to our nation’s socio-economic advancement.

He has managed, very much skillfully, to worm his way into the hearts of almost all presidents our nation has had just for some reasons which are very much obvious to every critical observer. Kwesi Pratt once described Felix Kwakye-Ofosu as an intelligent person and he (Kwesi) was looking forward to working with him in the same entity.

Now, if infantile gofer as Felix Kwakye-Ofosu, in estimation of Kwesi Pratt, is an intelligent person but Dr Bawumia who has lectured at oxford university has a mentality and intelligence of a “serial caller”, then I will also liken him(Kwesi Pratt) to a typical ‘kayaye’ who is always prepared to carry a load, ten times his own body-weight over any distance prescribed all sitting presidents controlling state coffers, so he can have some coins in his pocket.

Justice Abeeku Newton-Offei

E-mail: justnoff@yahoo.com